How to Care for Chinchillas

What does my chinchilla need?
When you have a pet, you want to make him happy and glad you’re his owner. Everything you need to know to keep your pet chinchilla happy and loved is listed below.

Cage & Habitat
For one chinchilla, we recommend that you get a chew proof cage that measures at least 16″ x 20″ x 16″ minimum. You need to make sure this cage is big enough so your chinchilla has room to eat, sleep, and play around.

Pelleted or shredded paper bedding material.

A stoppered water bottle, food bowl or feeder, and a hay rack.

Hide areas and tunnels for playing and sleeping.

A large exercise wheel.

Dust bin and dusting powder for bathing.

Chew proof toys so they can avoid boredom.

Untreated wooden toys for chewing and wearing down a chinchilla’s ever-growing teeth.

A vitamin C supplement. If your chinchilla hates the supplement, you can also add liquid vitamin C to its stoppered water bottle.

Although they are adorable, chinchillas need to be cared properly to be happy and healthy.

Steps

1 Provide a big cage. The larger the better. Make sure the cage has a solid floor with soft bedding.

2 Provide healthy bedding. Never use cedar or pine shavings as bedding, for it is sharp and can injure your chinchilla’s feet.

3 Lift your chinchilla properly. Lift your chinchilla like a cat. Slide your hand under the chinchilla’s belly and place your other hand on top of the chinchilla. Use the hand under the chin to support its hind legs and bum so it feels secure.

4 Provide proper food.

· Always have clean food available for them

· Feed them treats infrequently as it can cause digestive problems

· 5 Replace the drinking water daily. Provide the chinchillas with clean fresh water daily to avoid infections.

6 Remove soiled hay and bedding from the cage daily.

7 Wash the cage with hot water. It is generally suggested that you use no soap or chemicals.

8 Give your chinchilla a dust bath for 10-15 minutes anywhere from daily to twice a week. Too much will cause dryness. but too little will cause their coats to build up oils which can cause a disfiguring and deadly fungus to grow on their skin.

9 Provide exercise. Chinchillas are very active animals and should have an opportunity to exercise every day.

· Provide an exercise wheel. The wheel must have a solid surface, and not be made of wire or mesh that can ensnare their feet. Never use the giant hamster balls (death balls) pet stores try to sell you.

· If you let your pet out of the cage for supervised play time, it should be in a small room and the room should be chinchilla proof. Chinchillas can jump several feet in the air, and can squeeze through tiny spaces. They will also gnaw on wires, furniture, and anything they can get their teeth on. .

10 Give them something to chew on for dental health. Chinchillas’ teeth can grow up to 12 inches a year. Purchase a special block of wood or pumice stone for your chinchilla to chew on.

11 Keep them cool. Chinchillas overheat easily. They cannot survive temperatures over 75F or below 50F. Keep their cage in a cool room with ventilation.

· You can also supply dry, uncooked, unflavored oatmeal (not quick oats – real oats!) to mix in with the dry food for a treat or if your critter is having tummy trouble, Chinchillas love it!!! :)[not too much, just a pinch]